1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved spool brake device which is incorporated in a double-bearing type fishing reel in order to prevent the backlash of the fishing reel which could be caused by the over-rotation of a spool when a fishing line is played out.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a spool brake device to prevent the backlash of a double-bearing type fishing reel, generally, an annular brake member of the spool brake device disposed within one of side plates of a reel main body is rotated or moved in the axial direction thereof to thereby control the brake force of the annular brake member by operating a control knob which is disposed outside the side plate. However, in the structure that the control knob is exposed and projected outside the above side plate of the reel main body, there are found two main drawbacks: that is, the gripping function of the reel main body can be deteriorated, and the fishing line can be entangled around the exposed and projected control knob. As means for improving these drawbacks, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-86469 of Heisei, there is known a method in which an annular brake member of a magnetic brake device is held and fixed between the side plate of a reel main body and a frame and the side plate is mounted and removed to thereby rotate and control the annular brake member, so that the brake force of the annular brake member can be controlled.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional brake force controlling method, since the annular brake member is mounted and held between the side plate and frame, when removing the side plate to thereby control the brake force of the annular brake member, the annular brake member is easy to drop down and, at the same time, operations to position and fix the annular brake member when controlling the brake force there of are also troublesome so that the efficiency of the brake force controlling operation is poor. Also, because, when rotating the annular brake member to thereby position the same, the engaged state of the annular brake member with the side plate must be removed each time the annular brake member is rotationally operated, the brake force control operation cannot be carried out quickly and smoothly, the sense of control moderation cannot be obtained in the brake force control operation, and the degree of precision can be lowered in the brake force control operation. Further, to shift the annular brake member in position in the radial direction or in the axial direction thereof to thereby control the brake force thereof, it is necessary that a space for shifting the annular brake member is secured within the side plate, which increases the size of the side plate accordingly.